zlacker

> Cars are freedom

Only for the wealthy, and the car is the most expensive form of transportation that only the relatively wealthy have access to. For everyone else not wealthy enough to own a car the over investment in car infrastructure has made life worse and made them less free, as the under investment in transportation alternatives limits their access and ability to travel.

BBC's new season of race around the world featured Canada this year, and contestants were staggered at the lack of public transportation options, forced into illegally hitchhiking rides to finish the race. Such is the dearth of transportation options for people who do not own a car.

>>Tiktaa+(OP)
Everyone in the US is wealthy. What we call poor is still very rich by world standards and a car is well within reach.

The above applies to most counties where someone is likely to read this.

>>Tiktaa+(OP)
Only if you insist on buying new and fancy.

Here in backwaters of eastern europe, cars are freedom for everybody. If you're poor and live in backcountry... Get a car for €500 and go wherever you want. If you're poor in the city, you can do the same. Just find a makeshift parking spot. E.g. convert an unused lawn into a parking lot with your neighbours.

>>mantas+jv
Still have to pay for gas :(

>>bluGil+9f
A 5000$ bottle of champagne is within reach for me but that doesn't mean it's a good decision. A car would be even worse than that.

>>saagar+DO
As someone living in a country with (purportedly) excellent public transport: public transport costs are more expensive than even our nearly 10 dollars a gallon petrol.

>>saagar+DO
Public transit costs money too. Also, if you drive with your family or friends, public transit gets more expensive. But it uses +/- same amount of gas.

Of course there's maintenance and insurance. But, for example, my yearly insurance is €80. With minimum wage of ~ €700-800. It's not exactly a deal breaker if that allows you to live in countryside and avoid obscene rents in big cities.

>>amroch+qP
Trade offs. Everyone has a different situation, but for most people in the world $5000 in a car would enable so many different things they can do that it is worth it (or would be worth it if they could find that $5000 in the first place - for many if they had a car they could earn more than $5000 to pay for it, but lacking the $5000 to get the car in the first place they can't earn enough to buy it)

>>bluGil+jk1
In what world does owning a car earn you 5000$ per year? A car is literally just an expense

>>amroch+Fz1
In any world where you use a car to get to work.

>>bluGil+UB1
Using transit to get to work will save you thousands of dollars spent on a car

>>amroch+7w2
Maybe. If there is transit, but most places don't have good transit options. Not just the us either.

>>bluGil+Y53
Wrong. Most people don't have cars and can get to work just fine. Yes, even in the US.

>>Allege+4S
Interesting. Just for you (based on where you need to go) or in general?

>>saagar+GJ7
Oh this is talking about straight up prices for the trains. Unless you live near the hubs and need to go to another public transport hub you can easily expect your journey to take 2-3 times the time it'd take if you took a car.